For nearly 40 years, a secretive colony in the Chilean countryside hid unspeakable horrors: child abuse, torture, and a twisted legacy of Nazism. Colonia Dignidad, led by ex-Nazi Paul Schäfer, thrived not just as a cult but as a brutal tool of oppression during Chile’s Pinochet regime. How did this enclave evade justice for so long—and why did the Chilean government turn a blind eye, or worse, offer its support?
In a story that goes right to the heart of the German and Chilean governments, what justice can the victims themselves hope for?
Erratum: In this episode, we say that Paul Schäfer was 32 by 1959, this is a mistake. He was 37.
In this episode:
-Winfried Hempel, Lawyer and Colonia Dignidad Survivor
-Evelyn Hevia, Colonia Dignidad Researcher
Episode credits:
This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen.
Executive Producers: Ney Alvarez and Sandra Ferrari.
Production Managers: Archan Mohile and Bronte Baskin.
Senior Producer: Marthe van der Wolf.
Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera
Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak, Sophie McNulty, and Catherine Nouhan.
Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman.
Translation by Diana Larrea Maccise.
Audio editing by Alan Leer.
Music composition by Tom Biddle.
Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik.
Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio.
Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez.